Plumage brightness and age predict extrapair fertilization success of male tree swallows, Tachycineta bicolor

Abstract

In socially monogamous passerines, extrapair paternity can increase the variance in male reproductive success. If gaining extrapair fertilizations is linked to specific secondary sexual ornaments, the opportunity for sexual selection is enhanced. Therefore, to understand the evolution of male phenotypic characteristics, it is important to identify traits that predict male extrapair mating success. Tree swallows show among the highest rates of extrapair paternity known to occur in birds, yet it is unclear whether male extrapair mating success is associated with phenotypic traits that honestly advertise individual quality. We compared morphological characteristics and plumage coloration of male tree swallows that sired extrapair offspring with those that sired only within-pair offspring in the same breeding population to identify the characteristics that predict extrapair fertilization success. Males who produced extrapair offspring had brighter plumage, and were more likely to be returning breeders, than males that did not have extrapair young. In paired comparisons, however, there was no difference between extrapair males and the male they cuckolded. These results suggest that female tree swallows may prefer brighter or older individuals as extrapair mates, but also, that older males may invest more energy in pursuing extrapair copulations. Furthermore, since females had extrapair offspring in their nest regardless of their social mate's morphometric or plumage attributes, we suggest that extrapair mating may be a reproductive strategy allowing females to increase the genetic diversity, while maintaining genetic quality, of their offspring.